1987 Half Eagle Pattern - P-5470, BRASS

Coin Details

Description

An experimental half eagle pattern struck in brass, testing a base-metal composition for the American Eagle $5 coin format. Brass — an alloy of copper and zinc — has a warm, golden color that superficially resembles gold, making it a natural candidate for exploring lower-cost alternatives to precious metal coinage. The Mint has historically used brass and its close cousin, golden bronze, for tokens, medals, and eventually for the Sacagawea dollar (2000-present), which uses a manganese brass clad composition specifically formulated to mimic gold's appearance. This 1987 half eagle pattern in brass explored whether a base-metal version of the American Eagle half eagle could serve as a collectible or commemorative issue at a lower price point than the gold version, or whether brass might be suitable for a circulating coin in the half eagle format. The visual resemblance between brass and gold would have made this pattern look deceptively similar to the production gold half eagle, a characteristic that could be either an advantage (attractive appearance) or a liability (potential for fraud) depending on the intended application.

Rarity Notes

R-8 (Extremely Rare). Brass half eagle patterns are very scarce, representing one of several alternative compositions tested in the 1987 experimental series.

Cross References

Pollock P-5470. Part of the 1987 experimental half eagle composition series.